1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an OEM or aftermarket product useful for protecting the interior of vehicles such as automobiles and trucks from soiling, and more particularly, to a protective liner adapted to protect the seat and floorboards of a vehicle from soiling or contamination by mud, sand, grease, grass, pet hair and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of removable floor mats in motor vehicles for protecting carpeting from soiling or contamination is well known. Such floor mats typically lie in the vehicle floorboards and can be easily removed for cleaning, in the case of heavy duty reusable floor mats, or disposal, in the case of disposable mats made of relatively lightweight products such as paper. One disadvantage of conventional floor mats is that they usually do not provide coverage in the threshold area between the doorway and floorboard, or along the side of the transmission tunnel. Both of these areas are likely to be contacted by the feet of the driver or passenger during ingress, egress or operation of the vehicle, causing contamination or soiling of the underlying carpet. Another disadvantage of conventional floor mats is that sand, gravel, or other loose particulate matter that is deposited on the mats during use is likely to slide off the mat and into the vehicle floorboard when the mat is removed from the vehicle for cleaning. Still another disadvantage of some conventional floor mats is that they are made of relatively high quality materials comparable to the underlying carpet, and are accordingly as difficult to clean as the underlying carpeting in the vehicle if they become soiled or otherwise contaminated by grass, pet hair, etc.
The use of seat covers for protecting the seating areas of vehicles from soiling or other contamination is also well known. Some conventional seat covers are disposable, being lightweight and adapted to temporarily protect seating surfaces from soiling such as, for example, when a vehicle is being serviced or repaired. Such seat covers are typically made of paper or plastic film, and simply lie across the seating surface, perhaps also extending upwards to cover at least part of the seat back. Other conventional seat covers are more permanent in nature, being designed to fit over and around the entire seat, and requiring more complicated installation procedures.
Even when the conventional, commercially available floor mats and seat covers are used in combination, however, users have experienced certain significant disadvantages. One disadvantage is the lack of coverage along the sides of the floorboard areas as discussed above. Another disadvantage is the uncovered area between the vehicle floorboard and the seating surface, where sand and the like can fall onto the floorboard and where grease or the like can be rubbed onto the front of the seat bottom from the legs of the occupant. This is especially likely if, for example, the occupant has been at the beach and is entering the vehicle with sand and/or suntan oil or lotion on his or her skin.
A protective liner is therefore needed for a vehicle interior that provides continuous protection for the seat and floorboard areas.